Winterised Crime Investigations
by Idrelle Miocovani
Summary: It's the middle of winter and the criminals are more than willing to come out and play.


**A/N: **I'm currently experimenting with a style of writing called a "50 Sentences" challenge – you are given a table of fifty prompts and have to write _one_ sentence to go with each prompt. Naturally, sometimes the grammar gets a bit flimsy, but it's a fun exercise. For 2011, I am writing a series of 50 Sentences challenges (four per month) covering many different fandoms and characters. Since I couldn't find a decent category to put the series in (this really isn't a crossover, so the crossover options are out), I am posting each entry separately in its own fandom. This is the third ficlet in the series, and if you'd like to keep track of them, there's an index in my profile listing the titles and fandoms of them all.

If you've read another Sherlock fic of mine – _Case Study_ – then you'll be familiar with the format and style.

Thanks for reading!

* * *

**Winterised Crime Investigations**

**1. Winter**

Winter was the season for crime: any sensible person knew that the best murders, arsons, thefts and other assorted felonies were committed in the dead of winter, when the cold and the bitter wind kept lesser criminals out of the way of greater minds who could cope with the weather.

**2. Decorate**

He took down the useless bits and pieces of extraneous material, wood and metal almost as fast as they appeared around the flat – the holidays were a distraction he usually didn't care about, but this time they were infiltrating his study and that crossed a line.

**3. Sparkling**

"I never fully understood human fascination with rare gems," he said as he examined the ruby in his hand, "because at the end of the day, they're just lumps of glittering rock."

**4. Sled**

At seven years, he took one look at the long, wide piece of wood and one look at the snow slope – and decided books were far more interesting.

**5. Wool**

His grandmother had once knitted him a woolly hat for Christmas and he continually assured her he still had it, quietly hiding the hat's ultimate fate – being set on fire and used as an emergency beacon – for years.

**6. Snow**

"Snow is the perfect ally," he said one day, "because everyone forgets about it until it's too late and someone else has noticed their footprints."

**7. Mitten**

The police thought it was a simple child's mitten – he, however, knew better than that.

**8. Jingle**

The woman's bracelet made a distinctive tingling noise when she moved her arm; he wondered how long it would take before she realised her accessory was what gave her away, no matter how cleverly she was disguised.

**9. Hospitality**

"Hello, Mrs Hudson," he said with a smile when the surprised lady opened the door, "I'll be your new tenant – do you made if I take a look round the flat?"

**10. Melt**

"Sometimes, Sherlock," she said, leaning across the table, "I do't think your brilliant mind can even fathom the idea of having a heart."

**11. Nippy**

"How can you be so bloody insane, running outside in below freezing weather without a coat _to follow a lead?"_

**12. Merry**

He was always the most satisfied when he knew he had cracked the case – and then Lestrade had to come and bungle everything up with half-hearted thanks and congratulations.

**13. Slippery**

Moriarty always kept a distance – it was much more fun (and safe) to relax and watch others do the work while he quietly slipped out of the picture.

**14. Gift**

"Some present, Irene," he grumbled, crushing her note (and the laughing revelation that she had beaten him once again) and throwing it into the fire.

**15. Skates**

She was always one step ahead of him on this one – gliding on ahead and tearing up the route as best she could to confuse him when he followed.

**16. Glow**

The sun peeked through the clouds, shining happily, unaware that it brought the dawn of another Moriarty plot.

**17. Snowball**

Another good thing about winter – snowballs made excellent weapons and/or distractions in a pinch.

**18. Snowman**

Snowmen, on the other hand, weren't quite as useful as snowballs – they made awful cover, especially when the person you were chasing decided to topple one over on you.

**19. Bundle**

"Do be careful, dear," Mrs Hudson said, pushing an armful of scarves and jumpers into his hands, "it's very chilly out."

**20. Powder**

He got up, coughing, and tried to clear his senses as dust and other particles swirled down through the hole he had just made in the ceiling.

**21. Icicles**

There weren't any icicles on that side of the house – which was, of course, her one essential mistake.

**22. Kindle**

"Well, this is very interesting, but why would I want one of these when I already have an iPad and a phone?"

**23. Cocoa**

Mrs Hudson had steaming hot cocoa waiting for him when he barged through the door; he was so pressed for time he drank it in one gulp – and decided it would be better to avoid hot cocoa for ever more, unless he wanted to scald his mouth and throat again.

**24. Wrap**

The child's finger was wrapped in Christmas paper – a mistake when he identified the brand and discovered several options that would lead directly to the kidnapper.

**25. Quilt**

The quilt was the warmest thing he owned, but despite his illness, he kept shrugging it off because it impeded his arms and hands – which he needed to continue his work.

**26. Chill**

"I told you this would happen if you paid no attention to weather and meals," John said irritably, eyeing his sick flatmate curled up on their couch.

**27. Cider**

After the cocoa incident, Mrs Hudson brought him cider – which he promptly spat all over the kitchen counter, for similar reasons he avoided cocoa.

**28. Holiday**

Aren't you ever going to take a break?" John asked on Christmas Eve when he discovered Sherlock buried behind a stack of books.

**29. Crystal**

"No, Miss Adler, I think I understand your sentiments quite clearly – but that doesn't mean I'm going to do anything to help you."

**30. Company**

He eyed Mycroft's work associated and promptly picked up his violin, proceeding to play so wretchedly they would be forced to leave the room.

**31. Holly**

"So, today's name is 'Holly', is it?" he said when he let the irritable – but always impeccable – Miss Adler in through the back window.

**32. Pine**

Molly opened her mouth to say something – and he quickly left before he had to witness her wobbling lower lip one more time.

**33. Scarf**

If there was one thing he did like, it was scarves – no one looked quite as good in a scarf as he did.

**34. Festive**

"Well, aren't you the picture of the holiday spirit this morning," John said when he discovered a motionless Sherlock on the couch with the tell-tale patches stuck to his arm.

**35. Bells**

When Moriarty heard the church bells ringing in the distance, he smiled coldly, knowing his work was done.

**36. Hibernate**

"He's locked himself in that room for three days, dear," Mrs Hudson told John, "and I don't think it's good for him – can you do something?"

**37. Blizzard**

The downside of winter was that sometimes the unpredictable weather made it impossible to work properly – like the time they had the freak snowstorm and he couldn't even leave his flat.

**38. Snuggle**

Amazingly enough, Irene Adler always managed to get around when she needed to – she claimed her absurd winter navigation skills were do to the fact that she knew how to dress properly – and snugly – for the weather.

**39. Hearth**

He regretted throwing Irene's note into the fire – rescuing it meant burnt fingers and much swearing.

**40. Ski**

The ski slopes were steep and snowy 0 the perfect place, Moriarty thought, to make murder look accidental.

**41. Cinnamon**

Mrs Hudson apologized for the cocoa and cider incidents by making some kind of hot drink with cinnamon – at this point, Sherlock gave up the hope of her understanding that he took issue with the drinks being _hot_ and not with what was in them.

**42. Celebration**

"Hmm, thank you, Holly, you always bring me the best news – what do you say to a celebration of sorts?"

**43. Chimney**

The body was found in a chimney, which was grotesquely appropriate for this time of year.

**44. Feast**

"Fest your eyes, my friends," Jim said, "on the website of the one and only Sherlock Holmes!"

**45. Boughs**

Sherlock disappeared deeper into the forest and the branches bounced back, hitting a cursing John in the face.

**46. Spices**

"You know how to cook?" was John's bewildered exclamation when he saw Sherlock in the kitchen, but ten minutes later, he would retract that statement vehemently.

**47. Aroma**

She smelled funny – most women did – but there was something particular about the way she smelled that irritated him beyond belief.

**48. Flakes**

He dropped the glass – much to his opponent's surprise – and it fell down, down, down until it shattered on impact with the ground and was gone forever.

**49. Toasty**

"You do realise how easy it is _not_ to burn toast," John said when their kitchen was flooded with the scent of burnt toast for the fourth time that week.

**50. Together**

Science and deduction, his two friends and allies – as long as he had the power of his mind, he would be unstoppable.

_fin_


End file.
